An investigation led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit in Washington, D.C. has resulted in a lengthy prison sentence for a man living in the U.S. illegally. Gregorio Gustavo DeJesus-Santos, a 59-year-old Dominican national, was sentenced to over 15 years on yesterday at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond. He was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, and for reentering the U.S. after a prior felony conviction.
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement release, the investigation began on January 18, 2024, when a Virginia State Police (VSP) officer stopped DeJesus-Santos. A police canine indicated the presence of narcotics, but no drugs were found during an initial search. DeJesus-Santos was released but later stopped again, this time with illicit substances found in his vehicle. "Not only did Gregorio Gustavo DeJesus-Santos blatantly ignore U.S. immigration laws, he also attempted to distribute poison in our Virginia neighborhoods," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of ICE HSI Washington, D.C.
Law enforcement discovered two packages hidden in a compartment of his vehicle, one containing 200 grams of fentanyl and the other 293 grams of a fentanyl and heroin mixture. DeJesus-Santos admitted to distributing at least three additional kilograms of fentanyl. His illegal entry into the U.S. dates back to 1996, and he had been removed from the country multiple times, most recently on October 18, 2022, after serving a sentence for a felony drug charge in New York.
The public is encouraged to report suspected criminal activity to the designated hotline or via an online form.
